SanDisk Cruzer 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ36-008G-A11

SanDisk Cruzer 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ36-008G-A11
by SanDisk

List Price: ~~$37.88~~
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Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details

Manufacturer: SanDisk
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD-ROM
Release Date: 2012-02-05
Model: SDCZ36-008G-A11
Product features:

Take it all with you - on reliable USB flash drives
Transfer with confidence - when moving images and other files from computer to computer or other consumer electronic devices
Ideal for video - the easy way to store, share and play your favorite video files
Trust the minds behind flash memory to keep your files safe and secure with a two-year limited** warranty
Compatible with Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS 10+ and Linux; Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port required for high speed transfer

Accessories:

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of SanDisk Cruzer 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ36-008G-A11

Customer Review: Decent read speed, poor write speed - Below average overall
Summary: 2 Stars

This is a review of the SanDisk Cruzer 8GB USB Flash Drive. I thought I was getting a bargain deal on this drive for $13 a piece. Now I wish I hadn't bought it. The price was right, but the performance was a let-down.

The USB connector slides in and out of the protective black casing, and this newer model is physically distinguishable from its predecessor by its red "tongue" (the older unit that contained the U3 Launchpad had a white tongue). The orange indicator light on the thumb-lock is lit when it is connected to the computer, and flashes when data is transferred to/from the unit. There is an area to attach a neck cord, but does not come with one anyway. The drive came preformatted FAT32 and empty, and no longer comes with the U3 software that previously came with the older versions of this same flash drive. It works as a portable flash drive to carry files, but is not spectacular in terms of data transfer speed.

Pros:
- At 8GB, it can hold a lot of files
- Highly portable.
- Price is very reasonable (CHEAP!)

Cons:
- Poor Read AND Write speeds. However, this may not matter if you do not transfer huge amounts of files. If you just put a few files on it, and then just carry it around, this is one of the best USB flash drives for the money. I transfer over 3 GB of files every day, so I need a speedy USB flash drive.

Warning: Geek alert below!

BENCHMARK:

Using Flash Memory Tookit v2.0, I got fairly linear read/write speeds using various file sizes (1MB to 15MB). The average write speed was 2.4 MB/s, and read speed was 21.1 MB/s. Though the benchmarked read speed was relatively fast, the write speed was poor. The slow write speed may suffice if you do not write many files often. If you transfer a large number and size of files onto this drive on a daily basis (or multiple times a day), it may be painfully slow (as it was for me). Using CrystalDiskMark, the average sequential read was slower (16.8MB/s) but almost twice faster to write (4.3MB/s). The drive suffered with random read/write speeds, going as low as 3.3 MB/s read and 0.5 MB/s write.

TRANSFER OF REAL FILES:

Next, I tested the speed of moving real files of varying sizes from 3MB (JPEG), 150MB (avi), 400MB (psd), and 1024MB (VOB). Average Read speed was 12 MB/s for large files and 7 MB/s for small files. Average write speed was 3.5 MB/s for large files, and 1.7 MB/s for small files. Compared to a Transcend 16GB USB Flash Drive, these numbers are unimpressive. For example, the 1GB file took almost 7 minutes to copy onto the Cruzer (vs two minutes onto a Transcend 16GB USB Flash drive), and about 1.25 minutes to copy from the Cruzer (vs one minute for the Transcend). An 800 MB folder containing many files took over 15 minutes to copy onto this drive... that's less than 1MB/s!!! In comparison, it took my Corsair Voyager (8GB version) a little over one minute to copy the same folder (9.4MB/s write speed)!

CONCLUSIONS:

Overall, the SanDisk Cruzer 8GB is a decent (if not below-average) USB flash drive, and certainly not the fastest. Depending on what you need it for: Reading from it is decent, but writing onto it is unacceptably slow. For transferring small batches of files, it will do it's job. It's low cost makes it an attractive portable USB flash drive, though there are certainly others that perform better and faster (if you transfer a lot of files) for just a few dollars more. For better speed/performance for the price (20 dollars or less), I can recommend the Transcend, the Patriot Xporter XT Boost, the Patriot Xporter XT Rage, and the Corsair Flash Voyager to start. For my purposes, I cannot use this drive because I need to transfer/carry several folders (each over 1GB) onto a portable flash drive every day. Though it is easy to use and may serve as an acceptable USB flash drive for others, I can only give it 1.5-star rating (rounded up to two-stars).

(Note: I gave away this SanDisk Cruzer.)

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Description of SanDisk Cruzer 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ36-008G-A11

With USB ports popping up everywhere you look, you need a simple and reliable way to store and share your photos, videos and music on the fly. The SanDisk Cruzer USB Flash Drive is your answer. Because it works with virtually any computer or electronic device with a USB slot, this flash drive lets you leave your laptop at home but still take your vast amounts of content with you to share with family and friends. Whether you need to transport your latest MP3 downloads, vacation videos, or your college thesis, the SanDisk Cruzer USB Flash drive offers portable storage that you can trust.

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